I was feelin' Quirkee!

I managed to find some time this week to write an article at Quirkee.com. I'm sure you all will enjoy this one, especially if you will be reading it at your office.

I like to find a quirky photo for Quirkee Thursdays. I took this one a few years ago...

Coan found a tree perfect for climbing...

on his walks with Mommy. I'm not sure who wants to go up that tree more, him or me! The knots on the trunk are very inviting. If I can climb it with my camera I'll take a photo from up there. I'll probably just use the one on my cell phone since it fits in my pocket.

some badge links were added...

to the left side of this site. You should click on them. These are not paid advertisements, just some of my favorite places to visit on the web. Although, I think Jerry Jones could afford to slap a few $$$ my way. My wife and I shared a cab with him once in downtown Austin. Unfortunately, it was in 1997 during the start of the Cowboys' long losing streak. I told Jerry ( I like to think we're on a first name basis now) I was still a fan no matter what. He paid for the cab ride. Thank you again, Jerry. For that I honor your team and mine with the top badge link on this blog.

p.s. Jerry, if by some chance you are reading this...I have most of the Cowboys as my fantasy football league team and I really want to kick some ass. Don't let me down! I am looking forward to rubbing it in when we win the Super Bowl!

Quirkee is the online news and entertainment magazine where I am writing an article every Thursday about life as a stay-at-home/work-at-home dad. The column is titled Because I Said So.

Digital Photography Review is a great place for info about digital cameras and accessories, tips and tricks, reviews, and links to many other photographers and their work. Go there first for information before you make any purchases in the camera world.

Radio Paradise is...well, you should know that those two words sum it up. Go there and hear for yourself.

Then there is eBay, where I spend most of my time. Can't find it? You must not have checked on eBay...yet. You will. You want whatever it is you are looking for SO BAD that you will eventually look for it on eBay. Hey, I don't just preach it, I live it.

You can also click on any photo on the left side and it will take you to my gallery on Flickr.com. I will add a few more of these link badges in the future. From this site you will be able to go wherever you need to be on the web!


Or...wherever I think you need to go. :)

Thursday snuck up on you, didn't it?

When I pick her up out of her crib, I’ll never forget the look on my sweet girl’s face that says, “You’re my hero! I’ve been rescued from this wooden jail bed into the clutches of Superdaddy!” One day that will change and she’ll tell me, “What were you thinking? I can’t believe you got out of the car and came inside to get me! We were almost done shopping! And you’re wearing socks with your sandals! OH MY GOD! I’m so embarrassed!”

You guessed it! That is a portion from my article on Quirkee.com today. Put down the crossword puzzle, refill your coffee, and warm up that oatmeal. I just refilled my coffee and was sitting here reading Quirkee when I felt someone reading over my shoulder. I turned around and noticed this face on the bookshelf...

Creepy, huh?

five years had gone by...

since the Pentagon was attacked and the World Trade Center came down. Everybody remembers where they were when they heard about the attacks. With significant events like this one it's hard to forget. I was in bed (I still worked at night) when Steph called and told me to turn on the television. I sat at the foot of the bed watching the towers burn. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Then one collapsed. Then the other one crumbled to the ground. A chilling feeling came over me, and like most people, I could not stop watching the news coverage.

The night before, I was at a friend's house down the street. His birthday is today, September 11, and we were having a few beers to celebrate it early. He was in New York in November, 2001, and took this photo...

photo by Eric Rogers

Tragedies like this make you wonder about the world we live in. Is it safe to bring children into it? What will it be like for your grandchildren? I feel like we are safe. Life is too short to worry that we are not. But I sure hope we don't have to witness more attacks like the ones on September 11, 2001.

I was...

One Year Older...One Belt Size Larger

Yesterday I turned 34 years old. I am officially in my mid 30’s. A “thirtysomething”. Or, as I like to call it…29 plus 5. Twenty-nine seems to be the year that you enjoy right before it is time to grow up. Things that you did in your twenties are hard to pass off in your thirties and beyond. No more earrings, long hair, or partying with your friends until 3:00 am…or later. Yep, it’s time to start acting like an adult and settle down, have kids, get a job with normal working hours, water and mow the yard like a good homeowner, keep good tires on the car so it’s safe for those kids you just had, etc., etc., etc.

It’s not so bad, really. Instead of earrings and long hair on yourself, you get to worry about it on your son. Instead of partying all night with your friends, you can wake up at 3:00 am to your baby yanking on your nose, scratching your ear, or if she’s in her crib you can listen to her party with her stuffed animals through the baby monitor. Instead of having a yard that would catch on fire by a flicked cigarette butt during a summertime party, you water and now have a nice green lawn that the kids can play in. And let’s not forget about the tires that will no longer leave you on the side of the road because they got so bald they could pop if you run over a toothpick. You are now considered to be a responsible part of society.

Growing up does require taking on responsibilities. You gain things in life that you wouldn’t necessarily achieve without reaching a certain level of maturity. You can also lose some things that are important, too, like friends that you don’t see very often because they work different hours than your kids allow you to. Having a birthday makes you reflect on the year that has gone by and the year still to come. It’s makes you appreciate the things you have and the things that are no longer part of your life. Here are some things that I have gained and lost:

Gained: 5-10 pounds (but who’s really counting?)
Lost: A couple of pairs of shorts.

Gained: A baby girl.
Lost: A dog, a cat, and some goldfish.

Gained: A truck (no more daddy-van every day!)
Lost: The only car I ever owned for longer than a year or so. The 1991 Acura made it 6 years with me, which is quite a feat.

Lost: All of the late nights and “after hours” work parties.
Gained: A new appreciation for the words “happy hour”.

Lost: The freedom to curse whenever about whatever, or at whomever you want.
Gained: Funnier ways to do it that your toddler teaches you, like “You’re a poopie-head!”

Lost: Worrying if a not-so-sober customer in your bar is going to vomit.
Gained: Worrying if your baby is going to choke on that cracker over there and vomit on the table. She did.

As you can see, getting older is not really that bad. So, raise a cold glass of beer at happy hour today and don’t forget to yell, “You’re a poopie-head!” at that driver who cuts you off on the way home. Instead of the middle finger, smile and give them a thumbs up! It’s all part of growing up.

I was making some biscuits...

and saw this face looking back at me.







I buttered up the eyes and nose then spread some grape jam on them. I love biscuits.

GO COWBOYS!

you start looking around...

and see faces in unsuspecting places. It's been a long day and you just want to have some peace and quiet, so you head for the bathroom.

Nobody is talking.

No one is crying.

Nobody says...

Who?

What?

When?

Today?

You hear no fussing.

No babbling about babble babble. It's alone time.

Shhhhhh.....

Finally! Then you look up and realize...

that you are never really alone.

Where do you see faces during your day?